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Aurora giggles and shrugs one shoulder like she’s seen this happen many times before. “You’ve just been Ida-ed.”
Well, shit.
CHAPTER 2
BOWEN
I was tricked into being here. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’m all about giving back to my town and helping where I’m needed, but I didn’t seek out this opportunity to volunteer at the toy drive. One moment I was being my normal charming self and chatting with Ida when she came into The Goose while I was working. Then I was being told they’d expect me at the community center.
I have no idea how she managed it, but I’m pretty sure some alphabet soup agency of our government should be taking advantage of her skills. The woman is a damn witch or something. I’m sure I even thanked her before she walked away with a surprising spring in her step considering she’s getting up in the years.
It was probably because she siphoned off some of my youth while talking to me. Maybe a smidgen of my soul.
Also, she had a suspicious twinkle in her eye, like she knew something I didn’t the entire time we were talking. It should have made me wary of her, but being nice to the customers is part of my job as a waiter and what harm could she do? She’s at least 70, maybe older. I don’t know because I’m smart enough to know you don’t ask a woman how old she is.
There are a few other volunteers in the main room of the community center who are busy sorting things, stuffing envelopes, and making signs. It looks like everything is covered and it makes me wonder what in the world Ida needed help with.
She’s one of the women in charge of the annual toy drive. I have to hand it to them because every year they help a lot of kids have a better Christmas than they would have had without their efforts.
I’m all for kids having an amazing Christmas.
When I was growing up, it was my favorite time of year. It’s hard not to get in the swing of things with all the decorations, holiday spirit, and happy faces surrounding you. It was a time for good memories to be made and a lot of family time.
I’m sure it helped that my parents were comfortable money wise. We never had gifts overflowing from under the tree, but I didn’t need anything that extravagant. I usually got one big thing I asked for and then things I needed.
No, I wasn’t thrilled to get socks in my stocking, but now that I’m an adult and buy my own socks? I wouldn’t be sad about some socks showing up from Santa. Just saying, the big guy can put those on my Christmas list anytime.
I make some fairly good money at The Goose since it’s such a popular spot and Maverick, one of the owners, pays us a nice hourly wage as well as getting tips. He doesn’t do that server pay stuff, which is great and one of the reasons I applied to work there.
It’s not like I have a lot of skills I can use to get a job. I opted not to go to college since right before my senior year of high school my mom got sick. I was just like most of my classmates and thinking about college, but her getting sick felt so much more important than going off to school. Dad needed my support and so did Mom.
I stayed and did some manual labor jobs in and around Sweetwater Valley. It was hard work, but it helped to keep my family afloat while Mom battled cancer. When she went into remission, I moved out of my parent’s house. I started looking for a different job, one with hours where school might be a possibility on the side, even if I only did online courses.
The Goose would be perfect for that, but I’ve never taken the leap to add classes to the mix. I’m not sure I will now. I like my job and the freedom it gives me. It doesn’t hurt that some beautiful women have come through there and I’ve gotten to pick them up from time to time.
I’m no fucking saint and I never claimed to be.
I figure since I’m only 23, I have some time to figure out what my life looks like and what I want to do with it.
Wasting time without strings has been fun and I don’t regret the nights I’ve spent with the women I’ve been with, but something has been tickling in my brain. It almost feels like I’m forgetting something. Or missing something.
I’ve tried to tell myself it’s just because Maverick found the other half of his soul and is disgustingly happy. Clint, the other co-owner of The Goose, has found his woman as well. I swear there’s something in the water.
When I first started working there almost two years ago, I would have balked at the idea of only being with one woman or settling down and making a commitment. Hell, I probably wouldn’t have been on board even a few months ago.
Now? I’m starting to feel like something is missing. Something big.
I could be spending this holiday season making memories to last a lifetime. I think, for the first time in my life, that is something I want instead of just having fun in the moment.
Who the hell am I?
I’m not even sure right now.
Maybe Mav and Clint’s happiness and obsession with their women is rubbing off on me or something. Hell, then there’s Nash, who used to come into the bar pretty frequently. At least until Lark’s sister moved in next door to him and he fell in love with her. They’re all loved up and happy in their little bubble as well.
It’s damn close to an epidemic at this point. I can track patient zero, but there’s no indication on who is going to go down next.
“Bowen,” Ida greets me from across the room, practically yelling my name and making me duck my head slightly.
